Tatsuo wrote:I don't think that it would be helpful to donate money to Christian organizations. I know the rude behaviour of Christian missionaries in Japan, who would do anything to get more converts. This kind of pressure is something no one needs at the moment (or at any other moment). I'd think Buddhist organisations or humanitarian organisations are best recipients of donations.

I am sorry you've had such a negative experience. Not all Christian groups are aggressive proselytizers, in my experience. The Catholic aid agencies, for example, do very good work, as does the nominally Protestant group "Save the Children." But of course if you prefer not to give money to Christian groups, there is always the Red Cross, or the Buddhist relief charity Tzu Chi.

The warm blanket comforting a refugee in Tohoku tonight will not be a Red Cross blanket, or a Buddhist blanket, or a Christian missionary blanket. It will be a warm blanket.

gyougan wrote:I am afraid that money does not help much. It is not that Japan lacks money. They have almost trillion dollar reserves. They need food, blankets, medicine and fuel. Money is not the bottleneck.

Aid agencies need money. They will be able to respond with more agility and more rationally with ample funding on hand. I would encourage you to find an organization you trust. Further, the Japan crisis will draw money away from other projects around the world. Donating to Japan relief work will help ease that pressure.

Finally, though, I think you are right. Japan is a rich country and the donations from the wider society and worldwide are not going to bring about a resolution to this suffering a lot more quickly than it would otherwise.

However, there is a more important reason to donate, or to expression one's solidarity in whatever way seems most appropriate. It is good to know that one isn't alone.

It is astonishing that governments are able to conjure up hundreds of billions of dollars or euros if some banks are ailing. But they are unable to give meaningful sums of money to charity organizations!